


Mother

by Solar_Dragon21



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Domestic Violence, F/M, Language, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:00:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24952684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solar_Dragon21/pseuds/Solar_Dragon21
Summary: A simple but loaded question 2D asks leaves Murdoc on a search to find the woman who gave birth to him.Takes place during Phase 3
Relationships: Murdoc Niccals/Original Character(s), Sebastian Jacob Niccals/Original Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my interpretation of Murdoc's mom and I went on the very scarce information that was officially given in Rise of the Ogre. I don't think we'll ever find out who the bassist's mother is, but I guess it's nice to know that she's up for how anyobdy would like to portray her.

Murdoc stood in front of the red bricked building taking a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh. He was nervous and scared at the same time because he was about to meet the woman who gave birth to him forty four years ago. He wanted answers as to why she gave him up and why he was abandoned on his father's doorstep. Hopefully she could give him the answers if she was still in her right mind. He began to think how this all started; a simple question by 2D.  
  
**_Flashback_**  
  
2D and Murdoc were sitting in the study at Point Nemo in silence. 2D was curled up in one of the theater chairs reading a boating magazine, Murdoc was looking at the current issue of Playboy magazine smoking his pipe, thin wisps of smoke coming from it, and Cyborg Noodle was standing next to the piranha tank just waiting for Murdoc to give a command. The weather outside was dark and gray. It kept raining off and on and showed no sign of letting up. 2D sighed and sat the magazine down.  
  
"What are you sighing about over there faceache?" Murdoc didn't even look up from the porn magazine.  
  
"I miss my mum and I know she's worried cause I 'aven't talked to 'er since I came 'ere ya know." he unfolded his legs and gave a good stretch. "maybe if you just let me send 'er an e-mail I can tell 'er that I'm awright."  
  
Murdoc put down the porn and looked up at 2D with a blank expression for a few seconds before answering.  
  
"Fine dullard, since I'm actually in a good mood today, I'll let you send an e-mail to her." he turned to the cyborg. "Noodle, take faceache back down to his room and make sure he sends and e-mail to his mum and his mum only."  
  
"Yes Master." Cyborg Noodle escorted 2D from the room. Murdoc watched the lift doors close and he noticed that his pipe somehow went out in the process of talking to the dullard. "Damn faceache, made my pipe go out..." He opened the left top drawer and pulled out some matches and relighted it. He sat back in his chair and folded his arms. The fact that 2D asked to write to his mom intrigued him a little, and in a way made him curious. Murdoc had met Rachel Pot in the hospital back in 1997 after he put the first dent in 2D's skull. To him she was somewhat of an overprotective mother who coddled her son just a bit too much and maybe that's why 2D didn't have much of a backbone, well he, Murdoc, had done a good job of wearing it down over the past ten years so maybe 2D did have one before they ever met. Curiosity getting the better of him, he decided to go down and see how the dullard was coming along. He got up and pressed the down button then waited for the lift to come back up. Within a few minuets it arrived and Murdoc stepped in. He pressed the button labeled "2D ROOM" and the lift descended. When it finally stopped at the right floor Murdoc stepped out, walked down the short corridor and went into 2D's room without knocking. He found 2D sitting in front of his laptop typing away. Cyborg Noodle was standing by the door. Murdoc turned to her.  
  
"Go get me a bottle of rum will ya?" Cyborg Noodle nodded and left out of the room. Murdoc walked over to 2D and sat down at the end of the bed. "So, how's it comin' faceache?"  
  
"Fine. Why did you come down 'ere Murdoc?"  
  
"Because I can." He spotted 2D's cigarettes on the radiator and took one. Murdoc put it between his lips "Got a lighter?" 2D stopped typing and reached into his shirt pocket and took out a red lighter and tossed it to the green man who lit it and took a puff.  
  
"Can I ask yew sumfink Murdoc?"  
  
"Yeah, as long as it isn't stupid, cause if it is I'll smack ya."

2D scrunched up his face. He wasn't sure if what he was about to ask was stupid and if it was digging into Murdoc's personal life, but ever since he'd asked to write to his own mom, 2D wondered about what Murdoc's was like or if he had one. "Your mum, wha' wos she like?"  
  
Murdoc looked at his singer then frowned a bit. This wasn't a stupid question so 2D wouldn't get smacked.  
  
"I don't know. I never knew my mother. Everybody knew who my dad was, but nobody quite knew who my mum was."  
  
"'Ave you ever tired to find 'er?"  
  
"Why would I? she didn't want me, she dumped me on my dad's doorstep." he took another puff of his cigarette.  
  
"Maybe she 'ad ta give ya up. yew know she might 'ave 'ad you young and couldn't take care of ya so she did the best thing possible which wos to give ya up to ya dad." Murdoc stared at the wall then looked out the corner of his eye at 2D.  
  
"Maybe. why did you ask me that?"  
  
"I wos curious tha's all."  
  
"Well don't be." Cyborg Noodle finally came back to the room and handed Murdoc the cold bottle of Captain Morgan. He opened it and took a big swig. "Hurry up with that e-mail. I want to practice in an hour." He got up and motioned to the cyborg to follow after him which she did. He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button to his room. When he arrived he sat on the end of his bed. 2D's question had stuck in his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2  
  
 _It was September of 1977 and eleven year old Murdoc Niccals was in his room listening to the radio when his father called him.  
  
"MURDOC!!!" Murdoc quickly turned off the radio and rushed downstairs into the kitchen where Jacob stood waiting. Hannibal, who was in the living room watching Benny Hill, got up off the couch and came into the kitchen to see what Murdoc had done now and what kind of punishment his little brother would receive, but he would be disappointed.  
  
"Yes dad?" Murdoc was now standing in front of his father looking up at him.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that there wasn't anymore milk?" Jacob had his arms crossed over his chest and was looking down at the boy in front of him.  
  
"I-I thought you would know because you drank the last of it this morning."  
  
"Are you being smart with me boy?"  
  
"N-no sir I'm not. It's the truth."   
  
Jacob grunted and reached into his pocket and pulled out a pound and a shilling. "Go get some more and be back before the street lights come on." he walked out of the kitchen and Murdoc grabbed his coat off the coat rack that was standing next to the front door.  
  
"I bet you won't make it back before sunset." Hannibal had followed Murdoc to the front door.  
  
"Wanna bet?"  
  
"Sure." He smirked and leaned against the wall. "If you do make it back by the time the lights come on, I'll do all your chores for a week, but if you don't, I'll tell dad that you've been sneaking food when you weren't supposed to."  
  
Murdoc's eyes widened because in the middle of the night when Jacob denied him nothing or barely anything to eat for dinner he'd sneak down to the kitchen and get some crackers out of the cupboard and some cheese out of the refrigerator. "How did you know about that?"  
  
"You're not that quiet, at least not to me. Dad's always passed out so he doesn't hear you but I do." Hannibal glanced at his watch. "you better get going or you'll get in trouble."  
  
Murdoc rushed out the door and ran half of the two and a half blocks to the corner store. He slowed down when he reached the corner and waited for the light to change. The convenient store was right across the street. The light changed and he ran across the street and walked into the store. The cashier at the counter was a young woman who looked to be 16 which was Hannibal's age. She was leaning on the counter flipping through a beauty magazine and chewing gum. Murdoc went to the cold section and grabbed a carton of milk and when he closed the door he looked over and saw a boy looking at the candy on the rack. He was about to reach for the caramel blocks but Murdoc stopped him.  
  
"You want the taffy."  
  
"Huh?" the boy turned around and faced Murdoc. The boy was wearing a red and white stripped shirt, with brown corduroy pants and black shoes. His sandy blond hair was in a crew cut style.  
  
"You want the taffy. Caramel's no good, not that kind anyway." Murdoc grabbed a couple of taffy sicks and handed them to him. A woman's voice sounded from the next isle.  
  
"Simon?" the clacking of heel got closer as the woman came where they were standing. "ah there you are dear time to go." she was carrying a gray handbasket. She was wearing a blue and white dress that came down to her knee and it had black buttons going down the front. Her hair was styled like Farrah Fawcett's. Her facial features were soft and went perfectly with her green eyes."Oh hello, who would you be?"  
  
Murdoc for some reason got nervous around her. Since nobody had ever spoken to him with a gentle voice it was strange to hear it. "Murdoc."  
  
"Hello Murdoc, I see you've met my son Simon."  
  
"Yes ma'am. I was just telling him that the he would want taffy instead of caramel."  
  
"I see and why would that be?"  
  
"The caramel that this store carries isn't really good, but the taffy is."  
_

_The mother smiled, "you're an expert. I'll keep that in mind when I decide to buy some next time." The three of them walked to the counter and paid for their items. The mother turned to Murdoc when they walked out of the store.  
  
"Goodbye Murdoc and thanks for pointing out some good taffy to my son." she smiled and Simon waved goodbye as they walked away. Murdoc watched them go, then he saw that the lights were coming on. The traffic light had just changed to red and he began running again. He ran all the way back home and made it just in time. He entered the house and found Jacob back in the kitchen putting on his coat.   
  
"So you made it back in time. You can be quick when you want to boy."  
  
"Yes sir." Murdoc put the milk in the refrigerator. "can I ask you a question?"  
  
"As long as it isn't a stupid one go on ahead."  
  
"Where's my mum?"   
  
Jacob stopped buttoning up his coat and looked hard at his son. He knew that this question might come up but not this soon so Jacob being the cold hearted bastard that he was decided to tell Murdoc where his mother was. "she's in a mental hospital."  
  
"Why?" Murdoc frowned.  
  
"Because of you that's why. When you were growing inside of her you made her crazy so she checked herself into the loony bin and has never come out since. She couldn't take care of you, probably didn't want you anyway so someone from Belphagor Sanatorium dumped you on my doorstep." Jacob finished buttoning up his jacket. Murdoc just looked down at the yellow linoleum floor with a sad look on his face. Jacob ignored this not caring about his son's feelings and shoved him out of the way.  
  
"I'm going to the pub, I'll be back later. Tell Hannibal to fix you both somethin' to eat." at that he walked out the house. Murdoc slowly made his way to the stairs and walked up. He entered his room and closed the door then laid down on his bed and curled up in a fetal position. He thought it was his fault that he didn't have a mother. He made her crazy while growing inside of her. A single tear rolled across his face._  
  
Murdoc awoke with a start. Having that memory come back to him wasn't something that happened everyday. Sure he'd would have flashbacks of his childhood, but most of them dealt with either his father or brother. He slowly sat up and looked at the empty bottle of rum he was clutching. Night had fallen and the only light in his room was from the moon shining in the sky above. He got up and stumbled to the lift and stepped in. he decided to go down to the study and when he got there he took out his laptop and went to Google. In the search engine he typed in 'Belphegor Sanatorium'. A list of links popped up and he clicked the first link. A simple page appeared and Murdoc scrolled down the page and clicked on the 'Contact Us' link. A page with a phone number and e-mail address appeared. He decided to send and e-mail to the administrator and take down the phone number. He'd call tomorrow and see if he she had received his e-mail. Not wanting to spend anymore time on this, he quickly got off the sight and shut down the computer. He laid back in his seat and rubbed his temples.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

"Hand me those pliers dullard." 2D and Murdoc were in the studio and Murdoc was changing the strings on his precision bass. 2D handed the pliers to him and he cut the remaining length off of the strings. He tightened them to his liking and plugged the bass into the amp then tested it. He played a riff and it sounded perfect. Cyborg Noodle had already tuned her black Les Paul and was ready to play. Murdoc walked over to the drum machine and before he turned it on, 2D spoke up.

"Um Murdoc?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry for askin' that question tha' other day. Guess I wosn't thinkin'."

Murdoc looked at the azure-haired singer and raised an eyebrow that was hidden underneath his bangs. "Whatever faceache, now let's play." He flipped on the drum machine and set the beat to 'On Melancholy Hill' and they all began to play. After hours of playing songs from all three of their albums Murdoc decided to call it quits.

"That's enough for today. Noodle take dullard back down to his cell and then go make dinner."

"Ah c'mon Murdoc, can't I stay 'ere?"

"I don't want to see your face anymore today so off you go. If you protest I'll tell that whale that he's gonna get a special treat." Murodc's brown eyes flashed dangerously.

"No Murdoc!! don't feed me to the whale!!" 2D was shaking like a leaf and he bit his lip.

"Then I suggest that you get your scrawny ass in that lift and go down to your room like a good little boy." 2D just quickly nodded and followed Cyborg Noodle into the lift and the doors closed. When they reached his room the cyborg pushed him in then closed the door behind her locking it. 2D walked over to his bed and sat down. He felt a migraine coming on so he took two green and white capsules out of his pocket, threw them into his mouth and swallowed him dry. He figured that this was his punishment for asking that question. To 2D, Murdoc had always been a mystery to him despite knowing the man ever since he was nineteen. Murdoc rarely showed emotion or talked about his feelings. The only time that 2D saw Murdoc show emotion was when he, along with him, Rei, and Russel watched Noodle's island go crashing down into the ravine. He had looked over to the Satanist and saw a look of pure horror on his face. After not being able to find the guitarist, he watched the man drink even more than usual. 2D knew this was Murdoc's way of dealing with the loss and hiding his pain. When he asked that question about Murdoc's mother, he also saw a hint of something in the old man's face, couldn't quite tell what it was, but it was something.

Murdoc was again sitting behind his desk checking his e-mail. The administrator from the Sanatorium did indeed respond to him and gave him a number for Murdoc to call to set up an appointment. He took the satellite phone and dialed the number. After a numerous amount of rings a woman picked up.

"Belphagor Sanatorium, this Hanna Anderson. How may I help you?"

"Yes this is Murdoc Niccals and I sent you an e-mail requesting some information about someone."

"Ah, Mr. Niccals I did in fact receive your message and I'll be glad to be a service to you. May I ask who you are searching for?"

Murdoc was silent for a few seconds before speaking up. "My mother, that's who I'm looking for. Do you have any records on any woman who may have come there forty four years ago and gave birth to a boy?"

"I'll have some one to look in the archives for you, but it'll take up to a week. Is that okay?"

"That's fine."

"What's the month, day, and year were you born in?"

"June 6th 1966."

"6/6/66? that's an interesting birth date."

"Yeah, it is..."

"Well Mr. Niccals, within a week I'll be calling you to tell if we've found who you're looking for. Thank you for calling."

"Thanks." he hung up and took a swig from the bottle of Grey Goose, he was sure to get wasted after dinner then he'd either walk around the island or go beat up 2D for whatever reason he could think of. Cyborg Noodle came back up and told him that dinner was ready. "Go and take a plate to faceache and come back to the kitchen."

"Yes sir. " she turned and left. The reason that the cyborg could cook was thathe was tired of always half burning the food and 2D didn't do any better, plus Russel wasn't there to show off his culinary skills. So he found some cookbooks that had washed up on shore one day in a box, let the dry out and gave them to her to read and ordered her to learn every single recipe in them. Soon he was in the kitchen and Noodle was fixing his plate. She sat it down in front of him and scrunched his wonky nose. On the plate was fried calamari, steamed clams and a baked Super Fast Jellyfish whose deflated eyes just stared back up at him, it's shriveled up tongue somewhat blackened. He made sure to avoid it because the last time he ate one, she didn't take all the poison out so he and 2D were sick as dogs for a whole week.

"Is there something wrong Murdoc?" Cyborg Noodle had been watching him.

"No, no. There's nothing wrong." he began to eat. After he finished, he went into the fridge and grabbed a bottle of rum. He still hadn't finished the bottle of Grey Goose but he decided that he would finish off that and drink until he passed out.

"Mr. Niccals this is Mrs. Anderson and we've found your mother and she is currently here in Belphagor."

A week had passed and Murdoc was uncharacteristically nervous waiting for the woman to call back. "She is?"

"Yes she is. would you like to set up an appointment to come and see her?"

"...Yeah, I'll be there in a few days. Have to tie up some loose ends from where I'm at."

"Wonderful, I'll see you in a few days." She said goodbye and Murdoc went down to 2D's room. When he reached it he slammed open the door, and 2D who was lying on his back smoking a cigarette sat quickly up almost choking on it.

"Wha's goin' on Murdoc? are we bein' attacked by pirates again?"

"No faceache. We're going on a little trip to the mainland and it'll take us a few days to get there. So get up and pack light, we leave tomorrow morning bright and early." Murdoc stomped out of the room leaving 2D looking after him with a confused look on his face.

"Wonder where we goin'?" 


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4  
  
Early the next morning Murdoc, 2D, and Cyborg Noodle were loading up the shark submarine. The only things that were really being brought along were 2D and Murdoc's duffel bags and some food.  
  
"Get in faceache." Murdoc slightly pushed 2D towards the hatch of the sub and the azure-haired singer went to the opening and dropped down into it followed by Murdoc and the cyborg. The bassist sat in the captain's chair and started it up. The beeping of the sonar and other monitors sounded and then they were on their way to the mainland. After an hour into the trip, 2D decided to ask Murdoc where they were going.  
  
"Murdoc, where are we goin'?  
  
"You'll see when we get there."  
  
Not wanting to get threatened, beat up, or possibly thrown to the whale, 2D stayed quiet for most of the trip only speaking when spoken to. Murdoc on the other hand kept thinking about his mum. Maybe it really was his fault that she was crazy, maybe Jacob had been right. Of course he just couldn't call up his father because he had been dead since 1994 who surprisingly had a heart attack. Murdoc was sure Jacob would die of cirrhosis of the liver because of the excessive drinking.  
  
"Hm, if he was still alive and he knew I was searching for mum he'd probably think me stupid and say something along the lines of 'why would she want to see you? You made her crazy and she most likely won't remember you.'" Murdoc shook his head at the thought and focused on his mission. He had to know, he just had to. After a day and a half of traveling in the ocean, Murdoc finally reached land. He drove onto shore and the shark sub changed back into Stylo. 2D who was now in the backseat sleeping had woke up to the sound of the radio playing some song. He rubbed his eyes and sat up then looked out the window to see a blur of farmland passing him by and the afternoon sun shining down on him.  
  
"About time you woke up dullard." Murdoc was looking at him through the rear-view mirror.  
  
" 'ow long 'ave we been on land?"  
  
"A few hours, but we're gonna find a town and settle in a motel for the night cause I don't feel like driving for another night." After a couple of more hours of driving they finally reached a small town and found a motel to check into. Murdoc knew exactly where they were, thirty miles outside of his hometown of Stoke-on-Trent. He made 2D and the cyborg take their bags to the room that they were staying in and then they walked down to the little restaurant/bar they had passed in the car. The three walked in and gained a few looks from some of the locals. When a man with green skin and gold-hazel eyes, a man that's 6'2'',has spiky azure-blue hair, and seemingly black holes for eyes, and a girl that looked like she could be a teen, 15-16 at best walks in, you're sure to garner some attention. Murdoc chose to sit in a booth way in the back so nobody but the waiter or waitress noticed them. Murdoc silently hoped it was one of the young busty waitresses that served them because he felt he needed a good bottle of booze and a good lay. Luck was on his side because a curvacious brunette walked their way with menus in her hand.  
  
"Welcome to Starlight, I'm Belle and I'll be your server today." she smiled and gave everybody their menus.  
  
"That's a pretty name for a pretty girl." Murdoc gave one of his womanizing smiles and winked. 2D noticed that the girl blushed as he did so. He scanned the waitress over. She had semi-long black hair, curves in all the right places, her skin was a caramel color, and she had to be at least 5'5''. As she walked away 2D noticed that Murdoc was looking at her rear end.  
  
"Damn, what an ass..."  
  
Within thirty minuets, Murdoc had worked his magic and got Belle to meet him at the motel room later on that night after her shift ended.  
  
Hours later, 2D was sitting in the front seat of Stylo with Cyborg Noodle sitting next to him because the waitress had arrived at their room only fifteen minuets earlier. He took out his pack of cigarettes from his front pocket, took one out and put it in his mouth then lit it. He blew out a cloud of smoke and waited for what he knew what was going on in that room to be over with. 2D gave a long sigh and folded his arms. He glanced at Cyborg Noodle who was just staring out window with a blank expression on her face.  
  
"Do you know why Murdoc decided to come to the mainland?"  
  
"No, he has not told me anything. I am just as confused as you are."  
  
"Are you sure that Murdoc told you and he said not to tell me?"  
  
"He did not tell me anything and I have not received any kind of command but to keep and eye on you." She turned her head to look at him, her deep violet bangs covering her eyes, just like Noodle's.  
  
"Oh, okay." 2D looked down at his hands. "I wonder what he's up to?" he mumbled to himself. Five cigarettes later Belle emerged from the motel room and 2D got out and walked up to her, Cyborg Noodle following. "would you like me to walk you home?"  
  
Belle looked up at the lanky singer and shook her head. "I'm good thanks. I only live a couple blocks from here." She smiled and walked away. 2D frowned and walked back into the motel room where he found Murdoc snoring in his bed, the bed sheet was covering his lower end. He shook his head and stripped down to his boxers and climbed into his own, and Cyborg Noodle put herself in hibernate mode.  
  
"Oi, faceache wake up!" Murdoc took the pillow from his bed and proceeded to hit 2D about the head with it.  
  
"Awright Murdoc I'm wakin' up! Stop hittin' me!" he covered his head with his long arms and Murdoc stopped hitting him.  
  
"We leave in twenty minuets so shower and dress." Murdoc walked out of the room.  
  
2D grumbled and got up, showered, and dressed with in fifteen minuets. Murdoc had already paid for the room the night before so all they had to do was leave. He got into the car and Murdoc drove off. They passed more farmland until 2D spotted a town up ahead. That's when he saw the sign:

**Welcome to: Stoke-on-Trent "The Potteries"**

**Incorporated:1910**

**City Established:1925**

**'Vis Unita Fortior'**

**Lord Mayor: Denver Tolley**

"We're in your hometown Murdoc?"  
  
"Correct dullard we are." he fully drove into the city. 2D marveled at the sight of what the place looked like.  
  
"This place seems to be really big and I see pottery stores everywhere."  
  
"That's because this place is considered England's pottery industry but we're not here to shop or sight see. We're here for something else."  
  
"Like wha'?"  
  
"As I've stated before, you'll see when we get there." Murdoc made a few turns then began to drive into less affluent parts of the huge town. Houses began to look old and worn down, and the streets were dirty. 2D then saw another sign: 'Town of Hanley'. Another twenty minuets of driving Murdoc turned down a road and up ahead he saw a huge building. The iron gates were open and he saw the sign before 2D did.

_**Belphagor Sanatorium** _

_**Est: 1698 A.D.** _

2D looked in awe at the huge building and thought it had an ominous look and feel to it. Murdoc found a parking spot.  
  
"C'mon faceache and Noodle you stay here and watch the car." The Cyborg nodded and he and 2D got out and walked to the front entrance.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5

After letting out the sigh, Murdoc opened the door and walked in, 2D following behind. They walked through the foyer and up to the welcome desk where a blonde woman in a forest green dress was sitting behind it.

"May I help you gentlemen?"

"you can help me." Murdoc leaned forward and smiled a little. "I contacted a Mrs. Hanna Anderson a few days ago and told her that I would come here to visit my mum."

"You're name please?"

"Murdoc Niccals."

"Hold on, let me ring her." She picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Yes Hanna, this is Carol. A Mr. Murdoc Niccals says he contacted you a few days ago regarding his mother." Hanna confirmed this on the other end and told her to tell Murdoc that she'd be down to escort him to his mom in five minuets. Carol hung up the phone. "She'll be right with you in five minuets, you can have a seat in the chairs over there." She nodded to the black and purple fabric chairs near the door. Murdoc just nodded and tapped 2D on the shoulder, who was looking at the pictures on the wall, to get his attention. They both sat in silence for the whole five minuets until the clacking of heels sounded and stopped before them.

"Mr.Niccals?" Murdoc looked up and stood.

"I'm Hanna Anderson, nice to meet you." She held out her hand and he shook it. Hanna was a fiery redhead with hazel eyes. She was 5'6 with a figure and was wearing a navy blue pants suit. Murdoc thought it was a damned shame that she was married. Hanna looked down at 2D and tilted her head a bit. "And you are?"

"Huh? Oh I'm Stuart Pot, but you can call me 2D, everybody does. I'm Murdoc's friend." He stood up and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you 2D. Well Mr. Niccals are you ready to see your mum?"

"Call me Murdoc and I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Hanna turned and began to  
walk down the hall with him and 2D following her. They walked out of the main building and onto a stone path. Murdoc and 2D marveled at how big the place was. There were mini red bricked buildings with names like Raphael Hall and Azazel Wing. The building they went into was called Gabriel Hall and went up to the third floor. The three of them walked pass rooms that had people in them and some were in the hallway just walking about amongst the staff. Hanna was stopped by a nurse who wanted her to look at something. A very short woman walked up to 2D and tapped him on his arm. She had gray hair tied up in a bun and was wearing a long pink robe.

"Harry? Is that you?"

"Pardon? I fink you 'ave the wrong person ma'am." 2D looked down at her and frowned as did Murdoc who noticed what was going on.

"Harry, don't be so modest. Of course it's you. How have you been? You should come to see me more often even if it's for a moment." 2D didn't know what to do. He looked at Murdoc who looked just as lost.

"Just play along 2D, She has Alzheimer's." 

2D nodded his head and played along. "I'm fine. Wot wos your name again? It's slipped my mind."

The woman chuckled and playfully slapped him on his arm. "Abigal Robertson silly. How can you not remember that? Well when we first met you were drunk off of Mr. Sorin's homemade sherry."

"Oh wos I really? Must have had a lot that night."

"You did and ended up getting into a fight with Henry Campbell over who was going to escort me home."

Hanna had finished her business with the nurse and she looked at what was going on and so did the nurse. The nurse walked up to 2D and Abigail and put her hands on Abigail's shoulders and gently pulled her away from 2D.

"Mrs. Robertson, lunch will be served in a short while. Why don't you go and wash up?" She guided the old woman towards her room.

"Oh I was just talking to Harry here about how we met, but I guess I have to finish telling him another time." She waved goodbye to 2D who waved back. "Do come back to see me Harry, I miss you a lot." She smiled and walked back into her room.

"That was Mrs. Robinson. Her Husband Harry has been dead for fifteen years." Hanna looked at 2D. "He was the same height and just as skinny." She gave a sad smile and led them down the rest of the way. She stopped at an open door and knocked on the frame. "Samantha? There's somebody here to see you." Hanna stepped aside to let Murdoc and 2D step into the room and she followed.

A woman with long jet black hair streaked with gray was sitting in a chair by the window doing needlepoint. She was wearing a white cardigan sweater with denim jeans, and black ballet flats. She answered and didn't look up from her work. "Is it Hannibal?"

"No Sam, it isn't." Samantha raised her head and her and Murdoc's eyes met.

"Mum?" 


	6. Chapter 6

It's been said that a mother knows her child no matter what age he or she is and in this case it was no exception. When those two pairs of hazel eyes met, the connection between mother and child reawakened.  
  
Samantha put her needlepoint down and slowly stood up from her seat. She walked to Murdoc and cupped his face in her hands. 2D was at a loss for words for what was going on and Murdoc just let his mother's soft hands caress his face.  
  
"I believed that I would never see you again. In my mind I always thought that you would not want to see me because I gave you up without an explanation or reason as to why I did."  
  
"Jacob told me that I made you crazy while I was growing inside of you. He said it was my fault that you're in this place mum." Murdoc looked down at the floor and Samantha scowled at that name.  
  
"That bastard, he's the one that drove me to this place. The physical, mental, and emotional abuse from him made me lose it. I should have left when I got pregnant with Hannibal, but I found some reason to stay with him, plus it was the 1960s and leaving your husband wasn't looked upon as being good. Most of the neighborhood knew Jacob which in turn they knew about me so people would've talked if I up and left." She led Murdoc to a chair and they both sat down facing each other. "I know you want to know what happened so I'll tell you..."

* * *

_**October 1965**  
  
"You're pregnant Mrs. Niccals."  
  
"Again?"  
  
"Yes and I'll start you on the prenatal vitamins again." The doctor reached into the drawer and pulled out a pad then wrote a prescription. He handed it to her and Samantha put it in her purse.  
  
"Are you sure I'm pregnant doc?"  
  
"Blood test doesn't lie Mrs. Niccals."  
  
Samantha sighed and got off the examination table. "I wish it did..." She mumbled under her breath.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Oh nothing. Thank you for giving me the results doctor." She held out her hand and he shook it. Sam walked out the door and paid the co-fee at the front desk then walked out of the doctor's office. Before picking up Hannibal at school she stopped at the drug store to get the prescription filled then walked down to her son's school. A five year old Hannibal was sitting on a bench waiting for his mom to come pick him up. A smile was on his face as he was holding a red and black paper mache swan that he had made for her in class that morning. Samantha came around the corner and saw her son sitting on the bench. She smiled and went up to him.  
  
"Mommy! Look at what I made for you in class today." He held out the swan to her.  
  
"Aww, thanks Hans it's wonderful." She took the swan and examined it. "Love the colors. C'mon let's go home." Sam held out her hand and Hannibal took it and they caught a bus home. The bus arrived in the town square and Samantha and Hannibal got off then walked the rest of the way.  
  
They lived in the town of Tunstall in a house that was only a few blocks away from the town square. The house was an old two-story Edwardian home that used to be the residence of the mayor and his family back in 1919.  
Samantha and Hannibal walked into the old house and went separate ways. Hannibal to his room and Sam to the kitchen where she began to prepare dinner. She looked at the clock on the wall.  
  
"Four o' clock. Jacob will be home in a hour." She took out two skillets and set them on the stove then went to the refrigerator and took out some cod fillets and potatoes. She turned the stove on then filled the skillets with lard. Within the hour she finished cooking just as Jacob walked though the door and into the kitchen. He worked at the steel mill in Shelton and was wearing a dark blue work shirt with his name on the left side, black work pants, and black boots. Jacob sat down at the table with a huff.  
  
"How was your day?" Sam sat a plate of food and a bottle of beer in front of him.  
  
"Fine." Jacob grumbled and looked at his plate then his mismatched eyes shifted over to the empty seat on his right. "Where's the boy?"  
  
"In his room. I was just about to call him down before-"  
  
"I'll call him. HANNIBAL!"  
  
In only a few seconds, Hannibal came running into the kitchen and stopped when he saw his father who pointed to the seat next to him and Hannibal sat down. Sam fixed her plate and Hannibal's then sat down with her family, then they all began to eat. Dinner was quiet for the most part and Jacob finished before the other two did then after eating, he went to change out of his work clothes and into a brown pair of pants, a dark blue button down shirt, and another pair of boots. He came back into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of beers out from the fridge then went into the living room to watch television. Samantha had sent Hannibal up to his room because she didn't know what would happen when she would tell her husband what she found out earlier today. So after cleaning up the kitchen and bringing another beer to Jacob, she sat down next to Jacob on the couch and faced him.  
  
"Honey, I have something to tell you."  
  
Jacob just glanced at her. "What?"  
  
"I went to the doctor today and I now know why I've been sick like I have for the past two weeks."  
  
"Oh yeah? And what's the reason?" He didn't even look at her.  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
Jacob's face was expressionless as he slowly turned his head towards his wife. "What did you just say?"  
  
"I'm pregnant." Samantha either waited to be yelled at or have the can of beer that was in Jacob's left hand to be thrown at her head. "Jacob?"  
  
"I heard you woman. I thought you were on birth control? What happened to those pills I got for ya?"  
  
"I tried to get a refill but the doctor wouldn't let me. Told me that children are a blessing and it was my job to have them."  
  
"The bastard. I'm going up there after work to give him a piece of my mind and are you gonna keep it? One of the guys down at the pub has a wife that do back alley abortions if you don't want it."  
  
"I'm not killing my baby Jacob."  
  
"Then I don't expect you to change what you do around here either." He got up and went to go get his coat and after getting it he appeared back in the room. "I'll be back later."  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"To drink. Hopefully I'll forget all of what you just told me come tomorrow morning." At that he walked out the door leaving Samantha to just look after him._

* * *

"So dad wasn't even happy that you were pregnant again?" Murdoc frowned.  
  
"No. Not at all. Trust me it got worse after that he began to drink more than usual. Blamed me for getting pregnant and told me that I did it on purpose."  
  
"But you didn't, did you?"  
  
Samantha shook her head. "No, you were basically created out of a drunken fuck. He was so wasted that night and he wanted sex so I let him have me."

Murdoc felt anger rise up in him. He knew that his dad was a bastard but didn't think he could really act the way he did, but then again it was Jacob Sebastian Niccals you were talking about and reaching new lows was something that he could do.


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7  
  
 _"JACOB STOP!!" Samantha was cowering in a corner in the kitchen protecting herself and an unborn Murdoc from one of Jacob's drunken tirades. Three months had passed since she told him that she was pregnant. It was the weekend and that meant that Jacob would drink throughout the day which spelled trouble for everyone in the house.  
  
"YOU STUPID BITCH!! YOU GOT PREGNANT ON PURPOSE DIDN'T YOU!?!" Jacob slammed the half empty bottle of whiskey down on the table and grabbed his wife by the collar and pulled her up. He bought Sam's face inches from his. "Answer me." he growled.  
  
"No, I didn't! I swear!"Samantha looked straight into her husband's eyes.  
  
"LIAR!!" He let go of her and backhanded her with an open fist. Sam fell to the floor and began to cry. Hannibal had been watching and he ran to his dad to get him to stop hurting her.  
  
"Daddy please stop! Don't hurt mommy!"  
  
"Git offa me ya lil' bastard!!" Jacob turned and grabbed him by the collar and threw Hannibal to the ground then gave him a swift kick in the side. Hannibal went sliding across the kitchen floor and into the table. Jacob then grabbed Samantha by the hair and dragged her out of the kitchen and to the small closet in the back room. He opened the door and threw her inside. "You'll stay in here until I say you can come out!." He slammed the door closed and locked it. Samantha could hear Jacob yelling at Hannibal and knew he was getting beat as well with his leather belt. She cried until no more tears fell. Hours later she heard the door unlock and someone grabbed her by the collar and dragged her out.  
  
"Dinner. Now."   
  
Sam looked up and stared into Jacob's face. He had a deep scowl and another bottle of booze in his left hand. A lit cigarette was in his mouth. Sam slowly stood up, and when she got to her feet she stumbled a bit. "W-what do you want to eat?"  
  
"Don't care, just fix something and clean yourself up." He turned and walked away into the living room. Sam could faintly hear the TV going. Sam limped to the bathroom and turned on the light. Closing the door, she looked up into the mirror and saw her face. Her eyes were red from all the crying and a medium sized purple and blue bruise was forming on her right cheek. Dried blood was under her nose and top lip. She opened the medicine cabinet and took out the first aid kit. She cleaned herself up and carefully washed her face. After coming out of the bathroom she made her way into the kitchen to make Jacob a sandwich with everything on it. She bought it to him.  
  
"It's about time." He grabbed the plate from her and began to eat.  
  
"Where's Hans?"  
  
"In his room. The boy needed to be punished for laying his hands on me. And don't go coddle him. How do you expect him to become a strong man with you babying him all the fucking time?"  
  
"Sorry." her voice was quiet. "I won't baby him so much then."  
  
"Get away from me. You disgust me right now." Jacob looked at her with his icy gaze.  
  
Samantha turned and left the room and went upstairs to Hannibal's room. She opened the door and went inside. She saw a curled up lump on the bed. Sam saw Hans laying in a fetal position and the welts on his arms and legs. His cheeks were streaked with dried tears. She covered him up with a blanket and silently left the room. She then went into her and Jacob's room. Sitting down on the bed, Sam stared out the window. In her mind she knew if she stayed she may lose the baby and possibly her life. That's when she made up her mind that she had to try and leave with Hannibal. Sam thought that she could go to her friend's house or back to her parents. Hiding what she needed to do from Jacob would be hard, but that only made her more determined to do it. Taking a piece of paper and a pen from the inside of her bedside table, Samantha put her plan into writing._


	8. Chapter 8

"So I had to try and get away from Jacob. I was four months pregnant with you when I finally got my plan down. I was so sure it would work, everything was planned out perfectly." Samantha was looking out the window as she was speaking. Gray clouds had rolled in and thunder had sounded in the distance. "But I guess every plan can have a snag." She looked at Murdoc and gave a sad smile.  
  
2D who was now sitting next to Murdoc and listening to Sam tell her story was angry and sad at the same time. Angry because of what Jacob had did to her while she was pregnant with his best friend and sad because he felt sorry for her. The azure haired man knew little about Murdoc's childhood other than what Murdoc had told him and the others, and what was the beginning story from Rise of the Ogre. Other than that, everything was a mystery. Now he was finding out what had happened before Murdoc was born, and that left him wanting to ask him questions when this was all over. 2D knew his friend had flashbacks of his childhood. Sometimes when he wasn't in his underwater room and sitting with Murdoc smoking or something, he'd catch the Bass Slayer staring into space looking lost, and he'd see the hurt in his eyes. 2D also knew when Murdoc was hating himself he'd drink more than usual, well Murdoc was drinking more than usual, but he contributed that to Noodle being gone.  
  
One night the bassist had come down to 2D's room drunk as usual an instead of getting beat up, Murdoc had sat down next to him on his bed and talked to him. The singer remembered that night very clearly.  
  
 **Flashback**   
  
_Murdoc slammed 2D's bedroom door open and stumbled inside. 2D, who was working on a Sudoku puzzle, stared up in fright of the drunken man that was walking towards him with a bottle of vodka in his hand. It was just a matter of time before the kicks and punches started. 2D closed his eyes and waited, but they never came. He opened one eye then the other and looked up at Murdoc who was just standing there looking down at him. He was shocked when the green man sat down next to him.  
  
Murdoc took a swig of his drink and looked at 2D out the corner of his eye. "I'm not gonna 'urt ya faceache." He swayed a bit. They sat in silence for a few minuets before Murdoc spoke again. "I don't think I'll live for long 2D. They way I've lived my life, I'm surprised I'm still alive." He took a swing from the vodka bottle again. "Y'know my dad almost killed me once."  
  
2D looked at Murdoc with wide eyes. "H-he did?"  
  
"Yeah. I was nine at the time. He beat me so badly that I thought I was on the verge of death. I would've welcomed it. To me, being dead was better than living with Jacob and Hannibal. I've even tried to end my own life a few times."  
_

_2D just looked at his best mate. He wondered why Murdoc was telling him all this but he didn't ask questions, but just sat and listened to how horrible Murdoc's childhood was. It had only been an hour that Murdoc talked to him then the bass played stood to his feet swaying lightly.  
  
"You're a good listener and friend ya know that Stu? No matter all the shit I've put ya through, you're still here." He looked at 2D before leaving the room and shutting the door._  
  
 **End Flashback**  
  
A friend. That's what 2D was to Murdoc and it was so much truth to it. In all honesty, Murdoc and 2D are best friends, they're even like brothers even though it doesn't seem that way. 2D wondered what would've happened to Murdoc if he wasn't gassed, kidnapped, and bought to Plastic Beach. He shuddered at the possibilities might have been. Even though he and Murdoc had moments of openess with one another they were always short. 2D hoped that one day that Murdoc would open up to him completely.


	9. Chapter 9: Part 1

**Ch. 9**  
  
_Samantha had packed a suitcase full of clothes and hid it in the bedroom closet. She knew where she was going to go and that was her parents house which was on the other side of Stoke, but she had barely talked to them since she married Jacob. They weren't too pleased about Jacob and when their daughter accepted his marriage proposal, they kicked her out of the house. Two weeks later, Samantha found out she was pregnant with Hannibal.  
_

_A week later, Samantha was able to go through with her plan. She waited until an hour after Jacob left for work to leave. Hannibal didn't have school that day because his mother had called him in sick. She went up to the bedroom, got the suitcase, and then her son from his room.  
  
"C'mon Hans, we're leaving." She grabbed him by his hand and pulled him out of the room and down the steps.  
  
"Where are we going?" The little boy was trying to keep up with his mother.  
  
"To Grandma and Grandpa's house." Sam walked out the door and stepped inside the waiting taxi that she called. After getting in the cab drove off for her parents house. Thirty minuets later, they ariived and Sam paid the driver. She and Hannibal walked up the cobblestone walkway, and Sam rang the doorbell.  
  
Her mother answered the door. "Samantha, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Running away. Can we come in?"  
  
Hannibal smiled up at his grandmother and ran to her wrapping his arms around her legs. Sam's mom smiled down at him and let the both in. She led them to the kitchen where she put a pot of tea on and sat a plate of butter cookies on the table.  
  
"Where's dad?" Sam took a cookie and bit into it.  
  
"At a Union meeting. He'll be surprised when he gets home." She frowned. "You shouldn't have married him Sam."  
  
"Don't start with me mum. Please don't."  
  
"Then why did you marry him?"  
  
"Cause I love him. He just has some bad habits." Sam looked down at her hands.  
  
"If you call drinking too much a bad habit then I guess murder is too."  
  
"Mother!" Sam looked at her mom in shock.  
  
"I just saying. Don't take it seriously." She got up and took the kettle off the stove and poured her and Sam a cup of tea. Before she could say anything, her husband walked through the kitchen door.  
  
"Gloria have you seen-" He looked up and saw his daughter and grandson sitting at the table.  
  
"What did he do to you?"  
  
"Harry. Don't." Gloria looked at her husband.  
  
"Don't what Gloria? Defend my daughter."  
  
"She hasn't even told you anything. Actually she hasn't told me why she's really here."  
  
The woman looked at Sam. "Why are you here really?"  
  
"Things aren't going so well at home and....I'm pregnant again."  
  
"Pregnant?!?" Gloria's eyes widened at the news. "When did you find this out?"  
  
"A couple moths ago."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Harry put his hands on his hips.  
  
"I didn't want you and mum to worry."  
  
"Worry? We still would've worried anyway. Jacob has a temper and that's not good for a pregnant woman. Where is Jacob?"  
  
"At work. He doesn't know I'm here. He's going to find out anyway when he gets home. I left him a note saying that I was leaving him and taking Hans with me."  
_

_Gloria and Harry both looked at each other and sighed. They really didn't want to get involved. Their daughter had made her bed and now she had to lay in it, but at the same time they were concerned for the unborn baby and Hannibal. Harry looked at his daughter.  
  
"If he finds you here then you have to go back." Sam started to speak, but he held his hand up for her to stop. "I'm sorry Samantha, you made the decision to be with him and I'm not going to clean up your messes." He walked out of the room.  
_

_Gloria looked at her daughter and at the empty door frame where her husband just stood.  
  
"I'm sorry honey. You know how he gets when it concerns your marriage."  
  
"No mum, it's okay. I didn't tell Jacob where I was going so I should be safe...."  
  
"If you say so." Gloria gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek and walked out of the room.  
  
"....For at least a few days anyway." Sam finished her tea and looked out the window. It had begun to snow._


	10. Chapter 10: Part 2

**Ch 10. Part 2**   
  
_Later that night, Jacob came home to a completely empty home. He looked in every room and couldn't find his wife or son anywhere. After fifteen minuets of looking he began to get angry and impatient. He picked up the phone and called what little friends Samantha had and all of them said that she hadn't been by to see them.  
  
"Where the bloody hell are ya woman?...." Jacob sat in a kitchen chair and tapped his foot on the floor. When he entered their bedroom to get ready for bed, he went into the closet to hang up his shirt and that's when he noticed the missing dresses and skirt. Especially her light blue night gown that she mostly wore in the winter time. He then checked in her drawer and saw that shirt and underclothes were missing. Jacob put two and two together.  
  
"DAMMIT!!!" The olive skinned man pounded his fist on top of the dresser and figured out where Sam had went, but he wouldn't be able to go there for a couple of days because he had to work the night shift for those two days.  
_

_It was a late Saturday afternoon when Jacob arrived at Samantha's parents house. He rang the doorbell and Gloria answered it.  
  
"Where is she Gloria? I know she's in there." Jacob looked at the woman.  
  
"What makes you think she's here Jacob?" Gloria crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"She wouldn't run to any of her friends because she'd be too easy to find. Now I ask you again, where's Sam?" Jacob's patience was starting to run thin.  
  
"Have you ever thought that hurting her in any way caused her to do this? I thought you loved her?"  
  
"I do love her. Why did you think I married her?"  
  
"You have a funny way of showing it and you married her partly because she was pregnant with Hannibal and you wanted to protect her dignity."  
  
Jacob scoffed. "I married your daughter because I fell in love with her bottom line. Not because she was pregnant and her dignity was shot after she began dating me anyway."  
  
Gloria stepped aside to let him in and led her son-in-law to the kitchen. "She's at the market with Hannibal and David. They should be back soon." She poured him a cup of tea.   
Despite knowing how Jacob, was she still showed hospitality even though it was a little difficult to do so.  
  
Thirty minuets later, David, Samantha, and Hannibal walked into the kitchen carrying groceries and stopped when they saw Jacob sitting at the table.  
  
"Why is he here?" David narrowed his eyes at the man.  
  
"He was looking for his wife." Gloria looked at her husband and daughter.  
  
Jacob looked at Samantha. "Babe, why did you leave?"  
  
Sam frowned. "Because it seems you don't love me or this baby that I'm carrying. The way you reacted to the news told me so."  
  
"I over reacted and it had been a long day." Jacob stood from his seat and went over to his wife hugging her. "I'm sorry." He tilted her head up so she could look at him.  
  
Samantha looked into his eyes and saw some truth in what he was saying but the other hand she knew he was pissed. Hannibal tugged on his father's pant leg, and looked up at him.  
  
"Can we go home?"  
  
"Sure. That is if your mum wants to." Jacob looked down at him then back to his wife.  
  
Sam knew her parents weren't going to bail her out, so she gave an inner sigh and nodded.   
  
"We can go home Hans."  
  
"Yeah! I'll go get my things." The boy left to go get his luggage.  
  
Twenty minuets later, the family of three stood at the front door saying their goodbyes. Gloria kissed her daughter and so did David. They both watched as Jacob, Sam, and Hannibal got into a taxi and left for their home.  
  
Once there, Jacob sent Hannibal to his room and he and Sam stood in the foyer. They both looked at each other for a few minuets.  
  
"I know your pissed but you have to understand." Sam began to try and reason with her husband.  
  
"Understand what exactly? That you ran off?" Jacob folded his arms across his chest scowling.  
  
"You hurt me Jae...." Sam used her nickname for Jacob. "You hurt me and Hans and the baby inside of me. I sometimes still don't quite get you."  
  
Jacob closed the space between them and Samantha had to step back a bit. "Hurt you? I'll show you hurt." He backhanded his wife with an open fist.  
  
Sam staggered back holding her right cheek. She looked at Jacob with tears in her eyes. "Why, Jacob, why?"  
  
Jacob didn't answer but her grabbed her and threw her down to the ground and loomed over her. Samantha looked up at him with fearful eyes because she knew what was coming._

* * *

"He beat me hard that afternoon, almost knocked me unconscious." Sam frowned reliving that moment. "He began to drink a bit more than he usually did and the abuse didn't stop. I was too scared to do anything because I was afraid he'd kill the both of us so I just took it. Somewhere in my mind, I had lost it. I became numb to Jacob's insults and name calling. That winter was hell and so was spring. It was nearing the end of May and Jacob didn't care about the pregnancy anymore. I wondered out of the house one night and began to just walk around aimlessly around the town until I came to this place's doorstep."


	11. Chapter 11

**Ch. 11**   
  
_It was a warm but cloudy May night. Rain had been threatening to fall since four in the afternoon. A very pregnant Samantha wondered around town in nothing but a purple dress with matching sandals. Her hair was a mess and no expression was on her face. She walked pass shops, houses, and even the school that Hannibal went to. Sam just let her feet take her where ever. Making it to one of the country roads, she walked down it and absentmindedly turned onto a dirt path. Suddenly lighting flashed though the sky and a down pour began. Within minuets Samantha was soaked to the bone but she didn't even care. The dirt road was long, but it ended at a huge building. She looked up and went underneath the awning. Sam curled up as much as she could into a tight ball and began to cry.  
  
The next morning, a couple of nuns from the local church who were visiting the sanatorium came up to the door and saw Sam sitting there in the corner sleeping. One nun was elderly and the other one was about Sam's age.  
  
"Oh my..." The older nun knelt down and gently woke her. "Miss?"  
  
Samantha woke up and looked at her with sad eyes and mumbled something inaudible to herself. The nun helped her stand up and fully saw her condition.  
  
"We have to get her inside before she becomes sick Sister." The younger one looked at Sam then her elder.  
  
"I agree." she went in and up to the front desk. "I found this young woman just now on your doorstep and she needs to be seen by a doctor immediately."  
  
The clerk at the desk got up and bought a wheelchair around and the old nun wheeled her to the hospital wing. Once there, the nun told the head nurse what she could and Sam was put in a bed. The nurse got her out of the wet clothes and into a simple white gown that stopped at Sam's ankles. She then began to check her over and ask questions.  
  
"Are you from Stoke?"  
  
Sam just nodded.  
  
"Is there anyone that I can contact?"  
  
Samantha took a piece of paper and wrote down her home number on it.  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Samantha Niccals."  
  
"Are you married?"  
  
Sam nodded again.  
  
The nurse finished checking her over ans found nothing to be wrong. She took the paper and called the house.  
  
Back at the Niccals residence Jacob was finishing his breakfast of a couple cans of sardines and a beer when the phone rang. He got up and answered it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Mr. Niccals?"  
  
"Yeah that's me. What do you want?"  
  
"My name is Natalie Connor and I'm the head nurse at Belphegor Sanatorium. Your wife's here with us as we speak."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes and I was wondering if you could come over and see her. She was found by a couple of nuns on our doorstep this morning."  
  
"I see...I'll be down there within 30 minuets."  
  
"Good, just ask for me."  
  
"Will do." Jacob hung up and put his coat on. He took Hannibal to a neighbor's house and then took a cab to the sanatorium. Once there he asked for the nurse and he was lead to her office. He walked in and closed the door behind him.  
  
"Mr. Niccals please sit down." Natalie motioned to a chair in front of her desk.  
  
"So what's wrong with her?" Jacob sat down.  
  
"She seems to be out of it."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Samantha is disoriented and confused. I don't know what happened prior to her coming here, but she won't speak so that means we won't know anything. She only spoke to give us her name. Can you shed some light on what has happened to her?"  
  
"Looks like to me she's losin' her mind a bit. Guess those hormones are a bit too much for her this time around or it could be the baby inside of her that's making her this way." Jacob shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Ever since she found out that she was pregnant last October, she's been a bit out of it. Maybe that kid's puttin' a lot of stress on her. If I were you, I'd keep her in here so she wouldn't harm herself or the baby."  
  
"Are you sure you want to do that Mr. Niccals?"  
  
"I'm sure. Just hand over the paper work and I'll sign it."  
  
"This is a big step you're taking here. Don't you think you should sleep on it?" Natalie raised an eyebrow.  
  
"No. I know what I'm doing. We have another son and I don't want to put his life in danger as well. What kind of father would I be if I put my son in harm's way?"  
  
The nurse sighed and stood up. "If you say so. I'll be right back. I'm going to get the needed forms that you will need to fill out and sign." She left the room. Ten minuets later Natile came back with them and handed the papers over.  
  
It took all but 15 minuets for Jacob to fill them out and sign them. Hhe walked right of the sanatorium leaving his wife behind for good and his unborn child only for a couple months. When he returned home, he picked Hannibal up from the neighbor's house and went home.  
  
"Where's mum?" Hannibal looked up at his dad.  
  
"She won't be coming home for a long while so it's just me and you now."  
  
"Why?" The kid frowned.  
  
"Because she's lost her mind." Jacob walked around his son and headed straight to the  
fridge to get a beer. He opened it and took a long swig.  
  
"How long is a long while?" Hans walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Don know. Could be months, could be years yeah? Quit askin' questions and go watch the telly or something." Jacob headed out of the kitchen and walked up the stairs.  
  
Hannibal just watched his dad go up the steps then to the right, and down the short hallway to his parents bedroom. He heard the door shut. Frowning he went into the living room and sat on the couch in front of the television, but didn't turn it on.  
  
A week later on June 5th at 11:45 pm, Samantha Niccals went into labor with her second child. Luckily for her it wasn't a difficult delivery. On June 6th, 1966 at 2:23am, she gave birth to a baby boy that weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces, had a head full of jet black hair, and brown eyes just like hers when he opened his eyes a little. After cleaning him off, Natalie put the baby in his mother's arms who smiled down at him.  
  
"What are you going to name him?"  
  
"Murdoc Alphonce Niccals." Sam cooed at her child. "Murdoc means 'Protector of the Sea'. I've always loved the sea ever since I went to the beach for the first time as a little girl. Alphonce was my grandfather's name."  
  
"That's a nice name." Natalie smiled and left with the other nurses to put the medical supplies away.  
  
Sam looked down at the sleeping baby. "I think you're going to go a long way. Maybe even be famous like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. That would be nice. Maybe one day you and I along with Hannibal can live by the sea....Yeah, that would be nice." She kissed him on his forehead._


	12. Chapter 12

**Ch. 12**   
  
_"Please don't take him away from me!!!" Sam was holding on to a two month old Murdoc while a few nurses surrounded her trying to take him away. It had been decided that Murdoc would go to his father so he could be raised properly.  
  
"I'm sorry Sam, but he has to go. He can't stay in here with you." Natalie had tried to reason with her.  
  
"Why not?" Samantha was on the verge of tears.  
  
"Because a child doesn't belong in here." One of the nurses was trying to take the baby out of her arms.  
  
"He'll be with me!"   
  
"I'm sorry...." Natalie nodded to a nurse and the one on Sam's put a needle in her arm and pushed the plunger down. The syringe was filled with a light sedative.  
  
Sam relaxed a little and Natalie took Murdoc from her arms and handed it to one of the nurses who walked away to make him ready to be given to his father. Samantha now had tears pouring down her face. "Please...bring him back....he's all I have left...." She reached out to the retreating nurses as she went into a light haze from the drugs she was given.  
  
The head nurse told the one who had the baby to take Murdoc to his father's house. She nodded and put the baby in a simple basket and covered him with a light blanket. She took one of the company cars and drove to the address that was written down on a piece of paper. It was drizzling out. The nurse got out of the car and went up to the doorstep. She rang the doorbell once. She looked down at the baby who had now opened his eyes. Nobody was home, so after 15 minuets she took a note and a safety pin from her pocket and pinned it to the blanket then sat the basket at the door then left.  
  
There was nothing but silence afterward and little did that nurse know, a raven with red eyes had been watching the whole thing. It flew down onto the porch and landed on the end of the wicker basket. The bird looked at Murdoc who looked right back and giggled. It stayed with the little newborn until his father came home later that night from drinking._

* * *

"Now you know what happened and why I couldn't be there. I never saw you again after that day. Never even knew what became of you until one of the nurses who was working here back then bought in that flier of a band you had called The Burning Sensations on it in here when she was checking up on me." Samantha stood up and went to a shelf by her bed and took what looked like a small scrapbook from it and sat back down. "I've been keeping up with your success." She opened it and showed Murdoc of all the magazine and newspaper articles that were about Gorillaz from their debut album to Demon Days, and about the upcoming Plastic Beach album with the interviews and even the whole winning a Grammy.   
  
"You made it big dear and I'm very proud of you." She smiled. "I even have both CD's." Sam looked at 2D. "You're voice is beautiful Stuart."  
  
2D blushed. "Fanks."  
  
Murdoc smiled back. "Well mum, as faceache here behind me knows, I won't let anything stop me from getting what I want." He then got an idea. "You don't have to stay in here anymore mum."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Sam cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"You can live with me and dullard on Plastic Beach. We're by the sea."  
  
"More like livin' in the middle of it." 2D sighed and rested his chin in the palm of his hand.  
  
"Shut it." Murdoc cast a glare at the singer then looked back at his mother. "Yeah we live in the middle of the ocean, but I can get everything that you want. Just ask."

Samantha smiled at her son. "I'm sorry Murdoc, but I have to decline."  
  
"Why?" The bassist frowned.  
  
"I can't leave because I've been in here for so long that it would seem weird to leave this place. Plus I don't think I could handle it. I'm an old woman love." Sam patted Murdoc's knee.  
  
"But, I want you to come."  
  
"I know. I would like to go too....." Sam stood up and put thhe things on er bed and looked at her watch. "Hm, time for dinner. I have to go. Come say goodbye before you leave." She kissed her son on his cheek and patted 2D on his shoulder then left to room. Mrs. Anderson came back in.  
  
"Mr. Niccals, can I talk with you in my office please?" She had a serious look on her face.  
  
Murdoc and 2D stood up and followed her to her office. Hanna motioned for them to sit down. "You mum's right about not being able to leave."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Murdoc looked at her.  
  
"Mrs. Niccals had a big heart attack last year and needed surgery. She also has a small hole in her heart." Hanna frowned.  
  
"So...you're telling me she's dying?"  
  
"No, but it has been repaired, but she can still get heart valve problems and endocarditis which is a life-threatening infection of the heart because of her age. She can even have another heart attack."  
  
"I see...." Murdoc looked down at his hands. There was nothing he could do and he hated it. Just when he found her, she could slowly be dying.  
  
"She's in good hands here Mr. Niccals, I assure you that." Hanna smiled at him. "With her spirit and determination she's bound to live for along time." She stood up. "The dining hall is down on the main floor. Just make a right at the staircase, go down the hall and the room's on the left. Now if you'll excuse me, I have another patient to attend to."  
  
"Right." Murdoc stood up too and shook hands with the woman and followed her directions to the dining room. Once he entered he spotted his mom with a couple of other ladies. He and 2D walked over and sat down.   
  
"So, I take it that Hanna told you about my condition." Sam looked at Murdoc's somber expression. "I've lived my life Murdoc and I don't regret having you nor Hannibal. I still wonder why I fell in love with your dad. Maybe because I was young and stupid, and didn't know any better. When I do pass on, I'll be happy."  
  
An hour later Sam and Murdoc said goodbye to each other after taking pictures. Murdoc went back the way he came and half made the trip back to Plastic Beach in silence.  
  
"You okay Murdoc?" 2D looked at the bassist and frowned a little.  
  
"I'm fine face-...I'm fine Stu." Murdoc never took his eyes off the road.  
  
"Yew can talk ta me if ya want." The singer looked back out the window.  
  
Murdoc just looked at 2D from the corner of his eye and grunted.  
  
It took almost a week to get back to Point Nemo. As soon as Murdoc went into the house, he uploaded the photos onto his computer, but there was one picture in particular he wanted a physical copy of. He printed it out on his ink jet printer and put it in a silver frame he found on the beach, then sat it on his desk in the study.  
  
It was of him and his mom smiling.


	13. Epilogue

**Epilogue**  
  
Murdoc felt that a weight had been lifted from his chest since he visited his mom. His mood improved a bit and he was less mean to the singer. He, 2D, and Cyborg Noodle finished the album and it was released in March of the next year. The attacks from the Black Cloud would come and go on the plastic island, and Murdoc as ususal, managed to survive.

Fall made its way to the island and Murdoc was sitting in a study looking over some of the lyrics to 'Sloped Tropics'. He had been erasing and rewriting some of the words for about a half hour when his satellite phone rang. Murdoc had given the number to it to Hanna Anderson just in case she needed to contact him. He picked it up and answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Mr. Niccals, it's Hanna Anderson...."  
  
"Hanna, love! How's my favorite headmistress?"  
  
"I'm fine...."  
  
Murdoc noticed the tone in her voice. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's your mum....."

* * *

The sea sparkled like a blue sapphire underneath the afternoon sun. Murdoc stood in front of his mother's grave with the others standing behind him and Hannibal standing on the other side of it. Murdoc wore a black turtleneck sweater, black pants and boots. They had never seen him like this, but knew that he was mourning the loss of his mother. The graveyard sat on a hill overlooking the sea. The bassist chose the best spot for his mother. Since his mother wasn't really religious, she was laid to rest in a commoner's graveyard where people of all faiths or no faith were laid to rest. The judge presiding over the small ceremony said the final words then left. 2D walked up to Murdoc.  
  
"She's watching over you Murdoc" Said the singer.  
  
Murdoc looked down at her frowning. "I know...." He couldn't stop it, but a tear ran down his cheek.  
  
"You'll see her again one day Murdoc." 2D looked at the freshly covered grave.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Of course ya will. Never give up hope. We all won't live forever and when it's your time, you can be wiv your mum forever."   
  
"Thanks Stuart." Murdoc looked at the singer and smiled a bit.  
  
"I'll leave ya alone so you can say your final goodbyes." 2D left his leader's side.  
  
Murdoc looked at the headstone that he picked out. It was a slate grey with different intricate white seashells around the border.  
  
_Samantha L. Niccals  
Born: May 1942-Died: September 23, 2009  
Beloved Mother_  
  
"Goodbye mum." Murdoc laid a single white lily on top of the dirt and looked out towards the water for a few seconds then turned and walked back, joining the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was writing this epilogue, I was listening the John Lennon's 'Mother'.


End file.
